QUEENS (PIX11) — A Forest Hills man has been charged in a string of antisemitic vandalism incidents, as well as a pair of assaults, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said, calling his alleged crimes “cowardly.”
Antoine Blount, 34, is charged with various counts of assault, harassment, aggravated harassment, criminal mischief, and criminal mischief as a hate crime for his alleged role in the incidents, which officials said all unfolded over the span of two days.
In the earliest incident, Blount allegedly got into an argument with a 27-year-old man near Jamaica Avenue and 102nd Street around 1:30 p.m. March 22, authorities said. As the dispute intensified, Blount allegedly ripped off the victim’s necklace and threw it on the ground, then punched the victim in the jaw, prosecutors said.
In the same incident, Blount also allegedly slugged another man, 30, in the face, officials said. Both men were taken to an area hospital for treatment.
Less than a half hour later, Blount was allegedly caught on surveillance video drawing on the sidewalk outside of the Reform Temple of Forest Hills on 112th Street near 71st Road, prosecutors said. A swastika was seen on the sidewalk, authorities said.
Around 3:15 p.m. that same day, Blount was again allegedly recorded drawing on a sidewalk, this time outside an apartment building on Austin Street near 74th Street, prosecutors said. Another swastika was found on the sidewalk, according to officials.
And around 7:50 p.m. the next day, Blount was allegedly caught on camera outside the offices of Sholom Day Care on Main Street near 70th Road, drawing on the sidewalk once more, authorities said. This time, he was allegedly seen holding a phone displaying an image of a swastika, prosecutors said. A swastika was found on the sidewalk, officials said.
“Cowardly acts of hate, especially in front of a house of worship, have no place in our diverse borough and won’t be tolerated,” said Katz in a statement. “We have charged the defendant with hate crimes for these antisemitic attacks.”
The latter three incidents have been described by the NYPD as part of a larger pattern dating back to March 18, in which antisemitic symbols were also found at five additional locations around the borough. As of Wednesday morning, prosecutors had not charged Blount in connection to those incidents.
Blount had an initial appearance before a judge on Monday and is due back in court in May, according to public online records.